Lalu Prasad's daughter was targeting PM Modi, not Nitish Kumar: RJD
Patna, Jan 25: The RJD on Thursday claimed that Rohini Acharya's controversial social media posts, which were later deleted by the daughter of party supremo Lalu Prasad, were aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.
RJD spokesman Shakti Yadav made a statement to this effect outside 10, Circular Road, the government bungalow allotted to Acharya's mother Rabri Devi, a former CM herself, where Prasad also lives.
"Comments made in another context are withdrawn when vested interests use these for political purposes," said Yadav, when journalists asked him about the deleted posts on X, in which Acharya, who is based in Singapore, had mentioned no leader by name.
Screenshots of the deleted posts, in Hindi, have gone viral on social media. One of these spoke of "those, who are ideologically adrift, claim to be the champions of socialism".
Screengrab of Lalu Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya's tweets. | PC: @ROHINIACHARYA2/X
This was construed as an indirect attack on the Bihar CM, the RJD's ally, who had decried "dynasty politics" a day ago.
BJP leader Nikhil Anand also came out with a statement demanding an apology from Acharya for insulting the CM, who was a saffron party ally till less than two years ago.
However, the RJD spokesperson insisted that Acharya wanted to target "those who pretend to be champions of the poor, but go back on promises of two crore jobs a year and hoodwink the people with claims like those affording only 'hawai chappals' travelling by planes".
Despite making obvious references to Modi's electoral promise in 2014 and a speech during the launch of the UDAN scheme, the RJD spokesperson refrained from mentioning the PM by name.
He, however, asserted that the Nitish Kumar government, in which the RJD supremo's son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav is the Deputy CM, "will last its full term and the Lok Sabha election results will be a step in the direction of wiping out the BJP in Bihar".
Yadav also accused "BJP and media houses sympathetic to it" of making "hypothetical" predictions about the imminent fall of the government and Kumar's return to the BJP-led NDA, which the JD(U) supremo had quit less than two years ago.
"You ask why a meeting of RJD workers was called by the party supremo. This was no meeting. We come to see our party president every day," said Yadav, dismissing speculations in a section of the press that Prasad has asked rank and file to gear up for an upheaval.
He also scoffed at suggestions that state BJP president Samrat Choudhary and JD(U) political advisor KC Tyagi leaving for Delhi by the same flight was a matter of intrigue.
"So many times do leaders of different parties end up on the same flight. Seldom does this have a political consequence," said the RJD leader.
Meanwhile, rumours were also abound over a number of JD(U) ministers calling on the CM at his official residence.
Emerging from the CM's residence, minister for parliamentary affairs Vijay Kumar Chaudhary told reporters, "I am going to Nalanda (the CM's home district) tomorrow as the minister in charge for taking part in Republic Day celebrations. This should make it amply clear that no crisis has befallen the government."
He also dismissed the speculations around the Bihar BJP chief's Delhi visit, in the backdrop of rumours that the party was softening its stance towards Nitish Kumar.
"In any party, office bearers do meet the high command. What is extraordinary about it," asked the JD(U) leader.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
